Course Description: Social Movements in American History

This course will examine some of the major movements for social change in American history, with an emphasis on the 1960s. The first semester will focus on the modern civil rights movement of the 1950s and early 1960s. The second semester will explore the presidencies of Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon; the New Left; the Vietnam War; the counterculture; the women's movement; and the conservative movement, culminating in an examination of the legacies of the 1960s. The aim of this course is to help students better understand a turbulent period in our country’s history that continues to influence American politics, society, and culture.

Students who wish to take Social Movements in American History for a semester may do so; however, completion of the first semester is a prerequisite for second semester registration.